Vacuum cleaner



May 2, 1944. G. E.'LOFGREN 2,347,919

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Jan. 31, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

May 2, 1944. ELQFGREN 2,347,919

VACUUM CLEANER Fil ed Jan. 31, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I 59 22 60 61 535a 1; 55 63 64 50 1Z9. 5. Ii?

Patented May 2, 1944 VACUUM CLEANER Gustaf Einar Lofgren, Riverside,Conn., assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Dover, Del., a corporation ofDelaware Application January 31, 1941, Serial No. 376,760

2 Claims.

My invention relates to vacuum cleaners and more especially to those ofthe inclosed bag type. Still more particularly, it relates to animproved means for removably securing a closure member to the casing ofsuch a vacuum cleaner.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing description considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification and of which: f

Fig. 1 is a side view, partially in cross section, of a vacuum cleanerembodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view, looking from the left of the vacuum cleaner shownin Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on'an enlarged scale taken on the line4-4 of- Fig. 1; and

. Fig. 5 is a view, partially broken away, of the inner side of aclosure member illustrated in the other figures.

Referring to the drawings, reference character l designates the casingof a vacuum cleaner. This casing is preferably made of sheet metal andhas a substantially cylindrical form. Supported within the vacuumcleaner in any suitable manner is a motor-fan .unit including anelectric motor II and a centrifugal fan [2. The casing is adapted to besupported horizontally on a horizontal surface by means of runners l3which are secured thereto by brackets or the like i4. An end cap I issecured to the casing I0 and is provided with an exhaust opening IS. Acarrying handle I! is secured to the upper part of the' casing near therear end thereof so that the center of the handle is approximately overthe center of gravity of the unit. A generally U- shaped channel member[8 is likewise secured to the upper part of the casing 10 and extendsfrom the forward end of the handle to the front end of the casing.

Secured within the casing adjacent to its front end is a circularchannel l9. which is L-shaped in cross section. A ring 20 is secured tothe channel l9 and is formed with an inturned flange 2| whichextendswithin the channel. The outer periphery of the ring 20 is formedwith a U-shaped cross section, as is shown at 22, so as to embrace theend of the cylindrical casing in. The ring 20 provides a seat for a dustbag ring 23 which has a radially extending flange 24 provided withagasket 25 which is adapted to be clamped between the ring 20 and a seat26 formed by a substantially circular plate 21 which constitutes aportion erally by reference character '28. The open mouth of a dust bag66 is secured to ring 23 and occupies the space within the casingbetween the f front end of the latter and the motor-fan unit.

Also constituting a portion of the closure member 28 is a dish-shapedmember 29, the rim of which is secured in any suitable manner to theedge of plate 21. Plate 21 and member 29 are formed with alignedopenings between which extends a hollow member 30, preferably ofBakeliteor similar material. Member 39 is formed with a plurality of lugs 3|which are engagedby an inturned lip 32 on the member 29, 'while'a gasket33 may beinterposed between the inner end of member 30 and the plate 21in order to provide an airtight seal. As shown, the member 29 and plate21 aresecured together with the member 30 and gasket 33 clampedtherebetween by means of bolts 34. If desired, a metallic liner 35 maybe placed within member 30 and formed with an inturned flange 36. A hoseor the like 31 may be connected to this inlet opening by means of acoupling member 38, known per se, provided with springpressed latcheswhich engage the flange 36.

Secured to the outside of the member 29 at the center of the upperportion thereof is a hook-like member 40. This member is covered andsubstantially concealed from view by means of a channel 4| which may befastened to the member 29 in any suitable manner, as by means of ears 39which extend through openings formed in member 29; The contour andlocation of channel 4! is such that, when the closure member 28 is inplace, this channel forms a continuationof the channel member l8 on thecasing l9. Secured to the casing I0 underneath the channel member I8 isa hook-like member 42 which is adapted to be to the opposite side ofmember 29. As, shown, members 44 are secured in place by means ofrivets. Members 44 are substantially oncealed from View by means of achannel 45 secured to the front of member 29 by means of ears 46extending through apertures 41. As shown particularly in of a removableclosure member, designated gen- Fig- 2, channel 45 extends all the wayacross the One of these members is shown in Fig. 4 and a similar memberis secured front' ot the closure member and is provided withcircularrecess- 48 to accommodate the. upperpor tion ortmemberllll' iThends-oflthe web Of'ChaDr;

nel-flfare recessed; :asis shownat 49, in order to expose" the hookedend of each :member N, and r the web extendsinwardlyyasshdwn at 65 so asto 5.

contact :or be close toxmember: 44''; i

Opposite sides of casing i adjacent to. channel I ll *arexi'o'rmed #withdepressions 50, in each of- The. end-rot bracket 1 5 l 'whieh-i is adjacent to-thew end ot thecasingis formed with anzapertured lug;-vil-whichcarries'anpinzili Pivoted ontthispinis a lever 55' inthe'wIo'rm;o= azU channel,= the: web A portion :of which is partially cutaway;asis indi cated at: 561 Pivotally' secured :to theaflanges-"ot lever ilbya'means ota :pin 51 isia latch-members 58" which has-a" hookedasend59. adapted to engage the'hook shaped-resilient member'llu'.

. Channel-'members; 6|! are. secured on r the.- sides of casing i0 "#inalignment. with the channel 45 i on-the=#closure'- misc 1 as: to: forma: continuation thereof 1 1 when w the: closuremember is: inplace.

- Channelifllmay" be secured. in .place by -means-- of bolts:Blwhichiextendithrough channel. l9 to engage apnut or the. like 62'; Theheadof bolt 6 I is concealed 'from view by 'means of latch 58 l 1 whenthe partsare'inassembled'position; Chan nel il 'is recessed at. 83 inorder to accommodate lever Handlatch '58 andample space is pro vided at1 the. right-handend of *tlre zrecess" tor in sertion of the: finger'undemeath the web portion of lever iiz Chieflrfor'the-sake orappearance.

ashallow dish-like memberil may be secured a n in thebottom'ofldepressionilb lt' is believed that the operation of theabovedescribed devicewill be largely apparent. If it is desired toremove the, closuremember-28, the.

parts being in'the. position shown in the figures, the operatonplaces; a:fihgerunden the" end 01' .1 each oithe levers 55 and-pivotsthem-outwardly irom'thecasing. Thiscausesthe pins 51 to swing. in arcsaround =the= respective 'pinswfl 'and thus:

to move' the hooked Jends 'il' oti the latches-El to .45 leasesthem-iromtthe resilient members and the'left, as viewediin Fig; 4. Thisin turn retheportionsafiifof theschannel assuresthat the latches" movecompletely out of engagement with the members 44. When the closuremember is so released, itdoesvnotfall away from the casing, butremainssuspended by virtue of the en gagement-of the hook meinbers'lfl'and 42;How'- ever, it maybe easily removed by lifting it and at the same timemoving it' slightly to the left,

as viewed in the'flguresv sion.-- Consequently; the closure member. "istightly, held against-the gasket 25 of the dust bat! ring.: As will'berobserved, the'axis of pin is: closer :to the cleaner-.:.casing than:is the axis slot; pin a 540 J Consequently; 'theforce I imposed on thelatch-member -58': by the distorted resilient memberiT-tends'topivot-the lever Win a counter-clockwise: direction: about the pivot 5|.

However, the: member'cannot'i pivot in this directiomuinasmuch'as itacontacts member, and

consequently this force has no tendency to pivot the lever-in aclockwise -direction:to"release the latch 58il-ln otherxwords; if. astraight lin'e. is drawnz from thepoint ofacontact between the".shookedaend 59 with the-resilient member 44 and the. :axis of ="pin1i1;I such linev will pass "between the axis-. oflpin .54 and thecasing ofthe cleaner. While 'I have shown'and described one more orless-:speciflcembodiment of .my invention, it is tobe understood thatthis has been done for purposesrofillustration only and the scope of myinvention is-not:tosbe-limited thereby, but is to be: determinedfrom-the appended claims.

What'Iclaimisr l. Ina vaeuumcleanena.hollow'casinghaving an'opening, a:removable'closure member for said opening,:a' lever-on'ei-ther side 'ofsaid casing,

each-v lever having one end f pivotally connected to'said casing:adjacentito-said opening, a latch rm'emberpivotedon each lever atapoint spaced from said-end, a-z resilient member secured to eithersideof saidclosure--member, means for securingwoiie end of eachresilient member to saidclosure' member, the other end-tot each re-;silient: memberbeing hook-shaped, each resilient member being so formedthat its' central portion isflbowed away from the closuremernber: andthe hook-shaped end th'ereof issurged into slidable contact with saidclosure member, said hookshaped member being engageable by. therespective latchmembers to secure said closure member in:place,land achannel "extending across the front oi.- said I closure member andsubstantially eoveringsaicl resilientmembers; said channel beingdisposed close to :saidresilient members adjacentto the points ofcontact or said resilient memberswith said closure member;

In a vacuumcleaner, a hollow casing having an opening, a removableclosure member for said openingfa lever oneitherrsiclev of said casing,each lever having one endpivotally connected to said casing adjacent tosaid opening, a latch Whenthe; closure member has beenremoved, the bagmay be taken out for the purpose of emptying it, andthen replaced;The-closure member is then placed with the member liengaging member 42;The closure member-'28: is

suspended-thereby in position with the resilient members in alignmentwith'the corresponding latches and levers 551 This relieves the handsfrom supporting the closure member 28 and trees them to engage leversThe levers ii are pivoted toward the cleaner casing. At the same time,the latch members 581 are pressed inwardly so that the hooks 59 thereonwill engage the resilient members 44; The. arrangement of. the

parts is such that, when the parts are in the position illustrated inFig. 4, latch member 58 has been'drawnto the right, as viewed in thisfigure, suihcientlyso as to distort somewhatthe member 44, which ishence placed under tenmember pivoted oneach lever at a point spaced fromsaid end, a resilient'member on'either side of said closure member,means-for securing one end ofi-each resilient member to said'closuremember, the other end ofeach resilient member being hook-shaped, eachresilient member being so'form'ed that its central'portion is bowed awayfrom the closure member-"and 'the hook-shaped end thereof is urged intoslidable contact with said closure member, said hook-shaped endsbeingengageable by the respective latch members to secure saidclosuremember in place, and a

